1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to paper and latex fabrics, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a latex-paper fabric using paper saturated with pre-vulcanized liquid latex and the resulting product thereof.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Figures, such as animals or dolls, have been made from various material compositions and coated with rubber substances. Other figures have been made entirely of molded rubber and may be manufactured in either solid or hollow form. Most prior art rubber figures are expensive to fabricate and require expensive machinery and molds. Many rubber figures require vulcanization which is time consuming and costly.
Another popular type of animal or doll figure is known in the toy trade as a "plush" item. These "plush" figures, such as teddy bears for example, are filled with a soft or resilient material and have an outer covering of fabric and fur to give them a soft and squeezable quality.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a method of inexpensively manufacturing a new and improved fabric having a human-like outer skin and soft squeezable qualities which could be used to make a wide variety of figures and other articles.
There are several patents which disclose various methods of forming products utilizing latex materials.
Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,325,385 discloses a method of maintaining a substantially uniform ratio of rubber solids to non-rubber solids in a bath of latex through which an absorbent material is passed and removes a portion of the latex.
Pereira, U.S. Pat. No. 2,185,924 discloses a process for making relief maps wherein a mold is sprayed with latex, glue is applied to a textile backing sheet, and after the glue has dried, a thin film of dilute latex is sprayed over the glue. The cavities between the two sheets are filled with cotton or felt fiber.
Fulton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,920,372 discloses a hard papier-mache figure which is covered with latex rubber by a dipping or spraying process.
Crane, U.S. Pat. No. 1,201,701 discloses a paper towel comprising a body of soft absorbent paper intersected by depressions of greatly compressed and sized paper and a waterproof backing secured to the body portion only along the depressions.
Kitawaga, U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,418 discloses a polyolefin-paper laminate used in making film which comprises a base paper, a copolymer of at least one diene monomer and at least one monovinyl substituted aromatic compound incorporated into or coated on the base paper and an extrusion coated polyolefin film layer thereon.
Asanuma et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,937 discloses another photographic sensitive film material comprising a polyolefin coated paper.
Shaw et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,839 discloses a method for the preparation of electrostatic paper masters having improved water and/or solvent resistance which comprises applying a plastic particle formulation to a base paper, then wetting the formed coating with a solvent to which the plastic particles are sensitive.
Although these patents teach various methods utilizing latex and paper materials, they do not suggest present method of making a latex-paper fabric and the resulting product thereof.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a method of manufacturing a soft, flexible latex-paper fabric comprising the steps of saturating cellulose or paper sheets with pre-vulcanized latex, applying a layer of polyester batting to one side thereof, and drying the composition. The finished product is a soft, workable, skin-like fabric which is resilient, strong, and durable and has a backing of polyester batting. The resulting latex-paper fabric may be easily cut, sewn, draped, and used in the manner of other conventional fabrics. It can also be easily painted and decorated. The latex-paper fabric may be used to construct a variety of objects such as handbags, knapsacks, toys, and novelty items.